Ruebin Walters

Williams, the 2019 World Championship 100m hurdles bronze medalist, was one of two Caribbean athletes who won at the meeting held in Fayetteville, Arkansas as Asa Guevara won the 300m in 33.11 over the USA’s Jemiel Trimble (33.38).

The 2015 World Champion easily won her preliminary heat in 7.90 giving an indication of what was to come. In the final, she unleashed but had to fight hard to hold off the challenge of Tonea Marshall to win in 7.86.

Marshall was a close second in 7.89 while Great Britain’s Cindy Sember was third in 8.01.

The winning time was the third-fastest in the world this year, joint with Marshall’s 7.86 set at the same venue on January 24.

The men’s event was won by the USA’s Michael Dickson in 7.53. He finished clear of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ruebin Walters who stopped the clock at 7.68. Wellington Zaza of Liberia was third in 7.71.

In the women’s 400m, Jamaica’s Chrisann Gordon finished in second place in 52.06, more than a second behind the USA’s Shamier Little who won the event in a personal best 50.57, the third-fastest time in the world this year.

Sparkle McKnight from Trinidad and Tobago was fifth in a season-best 54.14.

Rajay Hamilton was fourth in the men’s 800m in a personal best 1:47.57. The race was won by Kenya’s Michael Saruni in 1:45.34.

Bahamas’ Laquan Nairn jumped 5.89m, which surprising good enough for third in the long jump won by the USA’s Marquis Mendy with 8.19m.

Greg Vann finished second with 7.47m.

The USA’s Allison Felix was second in the women’s 60m in 7.28 and then returned to win the 200m in a personal best of 22.59, the fourth-fastest time in the world this year.

Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn also ran a personal best of 22.91 while Shawnti Jackson was third in 23.45.  

The 25-year-old quarter-miler clocked 45.37 to win the 400m beating 2008 400m gold medalist LaShawn Merritt, who ran 45.45 for second place. Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas was third in 46.23.

Cedenio famously ran a personal best 44.01 to finish fourth at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil, and as a result, holds the record for the fastest time ever run for fourth-place.

It was the first time in Olympic history that the top three places came in under 44 seconds.

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk won in a world record 43.03 while Grenada’s Kirani James was second in 43.76. Merritt ran 43.85 for third.

Back in Clermont, Walters ran 13.53 to win the 110m hurdles over Johnathon Santiago Pagan, who ran 14.16. Israel Nelson was third in 14.33.

There was good news for Jamaica’s Jonielle Smith, who opened her season with a sixth-place finish in the 200m. Smith, a relay gold medalist at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, clocked 24.29 in the race won by the USA’s Candace Hill in 22.99.

Khamica Bingham was second in 23.57 while Candyce MgGrone finished third having run 23.67.

Kortnei Johnson won the 100m in 11.17 over Tiana Bartoletta (11.18) and Bingham (11.42).

Trinidad and Tobago sprinters Kelly-Ann Baptiste ran 11.51 for sixth and Khalifa St. Fort clocked 11.58 for seventh.